Sprinkler head



July 28, 1953 R. M. EDWARDS SPRINKLER HEAD Filed July 25, 1952 IN V EN T 0R. 1?; 1 [mm ZZZ um EDS.

A 7' TORNEYS Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRINKLER HEAD Raleigh M. Edwards, Sacramento, Calif.

Application July 25, 1952, Serial No. 300,825

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a sprinkler head for attachment to a garden hose and more particularly to a sprinkler head adapted for either hand supported or ground supported use.

It is among the objects of the invention to providean improved sprinkler head which can be easily threaded onto a garden hose in the same manner as the usual spray nozzle and is eifective to direct a spray of water from the hose; which includes a body portion directly threadable onto the hose and a nozzle portion mounted on the body portion for rotational movements relative thereto and including a weight for maintaining the nozzle portion in a predetermined rotational position when the body portion is supported on the ground; which has selectively usable nozzle portions of different construction for producing sprays of different shapes and difierent directions relative to the axis of said body portion; which can be arranged to produce an outwardly directed spray when the sprinkler head is hand supported and an upwardly directed spray when the head is ground supported; and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, positive and eifective in operation, and neat and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a sprinkler head illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse cross sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figures 4 to 7 inclusive are top plan views of nozzle portions of the sprinkler head with different shapes and patterns of water discharge openings therein; and

Figures 8 and 9 are end elevational views of other forms of nozzles with different water discharge openings therein.

With continued reference to the drawing, the sprinkler head of the present invention comprises, in general, an elongated body it), a dome-shaped nozzle ll disposed at one end of the body I and an annular nut l2 securing the nozzle to the body and providing freedom of rotational movement of the nozzle relative to the body.

The body i0 is preferably of circular cross sectional shape and may be formed from a suitable moldable material, such as a synthetic resin plastic or a hard natural or synthetic rubber ma- 2 terial, and has a bore l3 extending therethrough from one end to the other.

The body i0 is tapered from one end to the other and is provided at its smaller end with a metal reinforcing sleeve 14 embedded in the material of the body and providing at the smaller end of the body an internal screw thread formation 15 which is threadable onto the external screw thread formation [6 on the terminal coupling H of a garden hose I8. An annular groove is provided within the body if] at the inner end of the screw thread formation I5 and a packing ring or annular gasket I9 is secured in this groove and is engaged by the outer end of the terminal coupling H to provide a watertight seal between the terminal coupling on the garden hose and the smaller end of the sprinkler head body It).

A reinforcing metal sleeve 20 is embedded in the material of the body In at the larger end of the body and provides an external screw thread formation 2| adjacent the larger end of the body It), and an internal, beveled shoulder 22 on the outer end of the screw thread formation 2!. An annular shoulder 23 is provided in the wall of the body I0 externally of the sleeve 20 and spaced from the inner end of the screw thread formation 2| and a packing ring or annular gasket 34 surrounds the sleeve 20 and bears against the shoulder 23 for a purpose to be presently described.

The nozzle H is a dome-shaped or substantially hemispherical shaped, hollow body having at its open end an outwardly extending, annular flange 35, the edge of which is disposed adjacent the shoulder 22 within the larger end of the body In and the nozzle is also provided with a water discharge opening 36 therein.

The annular nut I2 is internally screw threaded and threaded onto the screw thread formation 2| of the sleeve 20 surrounding the sleeve shoulder 22 and this nut is provided with an inwardly directed, annular flange 3? which overlies and is spaced from the annular flange 35 of the nozzle II.

An annular ring 38 of resilient packing material is disposed between the nut flange 3i and the nozzle flange 35 and provides a watertight seal between the nozzle and the nut when the nozzle is subjected to internal pressure from the water admitted to the sprinkler head through the hose [8.

A lug 40 projects inwardly from the wall of the body It at the larger end of the body to a location somewhat beyond the center of the larger 3 end of the body and a pin or axle 4| is secured at one end in the lug 4!] and projects outwardly from the larger end of the body I with its longitudinal center line substantially coincident with the longitudinal center line of the body ID.

The nozzle I I is provided with a lug formation 42 extending from the inner surface of the wall of the nozzle inwardly of the nozzle somewhat beyond the longitudinal center line of the nozzle and from the closed end to the open end of the nozzle. A bore 43 is provided in the nozzle lug 42 with its center line substantially coincident with the longitudinal center line of the nozzle and this bore receives the pin 4| for rotation of the nozzle I I on the pin.

At a location disposed between the bore 43 and the wall of the nozzle, the lug formation 42 is provided with a cavity 44 in which is disposed a weight 45 of heavy material, such as lead.

With this arrangement, the nozzle I I is free to rotate relative to the body I0 when there is no water pressure in the body and the nozzle and, when the sprinkler head is placed on the ground under these conditions the nozzle will rotate until the water outlet opening 36, which is substantially diametrically opposite the weight 45, is at the upper side of the nozzle to direct the water spray upwardly when water under pressure is supplied to the sprinkler head through the hos I8. The nozzle will rotate to bring the water outlet opening to the upper side of the nozzle, regardless of the rotational position of the body I", as long as the longitudinal center line or axis of the body I0 is near a horizontal position.

The nozzles shown in Figures 1 and 4 to '7 inclusive are for use when the device is used as a ground supported sprinkler. In the nozzle II shown in Figure 1 the water discharge opening 36 is an arcuately curved, elongated slot which extends circumferentially of the nozzle through an angular extent between 90 and 180 degrees and has its concave side adjacent the open end of the nozzle. This slot is narrow in proportion to its length and will direct a fan-shaped spray of water upwardly from the sprinkler head when the sprinkler head is supported on the ground.

The nozzle I Ia shown in Figure 4 is of the same shape as the nozzle I I shown in Figure 1, but instead of the elongated slot 36, has a water opening 50 in the form of a narrow slot of circular shape disposed between the closed and open ends of the nozzle and having a discontinuity 5I therein at the side thereof adjacent the open end of the nozzle. The discharge opening 50 will produce an upwardly directed spray of somewhat conical shape.

The nozzle I lb shown in Figure 5 has a plurality of water discharge openings 52 of V-shape having their apices directed toward a common center and are disposed in the side of the nozzle between the open and closed ends thereof. The several openings 52 will produce individual sprays which diverge in a direction upwardly from the nozzle Ilb to provide, collectively, a spray of somewhat conical shape.

The nozzle IIc shown in Figure 6 is similar to the nozzle II shown in Figure l, but in addition to the elongated, narrow slot 36 corresponding to the slot 36 in the nozzle II, has an additional slot 53 of substantially the same length, width and curvature as the slot 36', but disposed between the slot 36 and the closed end of the nozzle with its convex side opposed to the convex side of the slot 36. The two slots 36' and 53 will provide two upwardly diverging, fan-shaped sprays which will cover a larger area of ground than the single slot 36 in the nozzle I I.

The nozzle lld shown in Figure 7 has a plurality of spaced apart, circular apertures 54 in the quarter thereof constituting the upper half of the spherically shaped closed end portion. These spaced apart apertures will direct a rain-like spray, of no particular pattern, upwardly and outwardly from the nozzle to cover a large area of ground relative to the area covered, for example, by the spray from the nozzle I la.

The nozzle I Ie illustrated in Figure 8, While of the same size and shape as the nozzles II to (Z inclusive, is intended for use when the sprinkler head is hand supported and has a single aperture 55 of circular shape at the center of its closed end for directing a stream or spray of water directly outwardly from the nozzle longitudinally of the longitudinal center line of the sprinkler head.

The nozzle IIf illustrated in Figure 9 is also for use when the sprinkler head is hand supported, and has a plurality of V-shaped openings 56 in the closed end thereof arranged in two groups disposed at respectively opposite sides of the center of the nozzle and having their apical ends directed toward the center of the nozzle and disposed along a line which passes through the center of the nozzle.

The nozzles He and Hi may be provided with the weight 45 or in the case of these nozzles for use when the head is hand supported, the weight may be omitted, if desired, since the spray in this case will be directed outwardly from the closed end of the nozzle, rather than upwardly, as is the case when the sprinkler head is ground supported.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A sprinkler head comprising an elongated body having a bore extending therethrough from one end to the other and provided at one end with internal screw threads engageable with an externally screw threaded terminal coupling on a garden hose, said body having an annular shoulder at its other end and external screw threads extending therearound adjacent said shoulder, a hollow dome-shaped nozzle having a water discharge opening therein and having at its open end an external annular flange disposed adjacent said shoulder, and a ring nut threaded onto the external screw threads on said body and overlying the flange on said nozzle to secure the flange between said nut and said shoulder with said nozzle extending through said ring and away from the adjacent end of said body.

2. A sprinkler head comprising an elongated hollow body having open ends and tapering from one end to the other, internal screw threads in the smaller end of said body for receiving the terminal coupling of a garden hose, external screw threads on the larger end of said body, an annular nut threaded onto said external screw threads and having an inwardly extending annular flange, a dome-shaped hollow nozzle having at its open end an outwardly extending annular flange disposed between the flange of said nut and the adjacent end of said body, and means carried by said body and said nozzle mounting said nozzle on said body for rotation about an axis substantially coincident with the longitudinal center line of said body.

3. A sprinkler head comprising an elongated hollow body having open ends and tapering from one end to the other, internal screw threads in the smaller end of said body for receiving the terminal coupling of a garden hose, external screw threads on the larger end of said body, an annular nut threaded onto said external screw threads and having an inwardly extending annular flange, a dome-shaped hollow nozzle having at its open end an outwardly extending annular flange disposed between the flange of said nut and the adj acent end of said body, means carried by said body and said nozzle mounting said nozzle on said body for rotation about an axis substantially coincident with the longitudinal center line of said body, and a weight in said nozzle spaced from the axis of rotation thereof, said nozzle having therein a water discharge opening disposed between the ends of said nozzle and opposite said weight.

4. A sprinkler head comprising an elongated hollow body having open ends and tapering from one end to the other, internal screw threads in the smaller end of said body for receiving the terminal coupling of a garden hose, external screw threads on the larger end of said body, an annular nut threaded onto said external screw threads and having an inwardly extending annular flange, a dome-shaped hollow nozzle having at its open end an outwardly extending annular flange disposed between the flange of said nut and the adjacent end of said body, and means carried by said body and said nozzle mounting said nozzle on said body for rotation about an axis substantially coincident with the longitudinal center line of said body, said nozzle having at least one water discharge opening therein.

5. A sprinkler head comprising an elongated hollow body having open ends and tapering from one end to the other, internal screw threads in the smaller end of said body for receiving the terminal coupling of a garden hose, external screw threads on the larger end of said body, an annular nut threaded onto said external screw threads and having an inwardly extending annular flange, a dome-shaped hollow nozzle having at its open end an outwardly extending annular flange disposed between the flange of said nut and the adjacent end of said body, and means carried by said body and said nozzle mounting said nozzle on said body for rotation about an axis substantially coincident with the longitudinal center line of said body, said nozzle having at least one discharge opening therein symmetrically disposed relative to the center of the closed end of said nozzle.

6. A sprinkler head comprising an elongated hollow body having open ends and tapering from one end to the other, internal screw threads in the smaller end of said body for receiving the terminal coupling of a garden hose, external screw threads on the larger end of said body, an annular nut threaded onto said external screw threads and having an inwardly extending annular flange, a dome-shaped hollow nozzle having at its open end an outwardly extending annular flange disposed between the flange of said nut and the adjacent end of said body, means carried by said body and said nozzle mounting said nozzle on said body for rotation about an axis substantially coincident with the longitudinal center line of said body, and a weight in said nozzle spaced from the axis of rotation thereof, said nozzle having therein a plurality of Water discharge openings disposed between the ends of said nozzle and opposite said weight.

RALEIGH M. EDWARDS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

